It’s not a subject anyone wants to discuss in too much detail with playoff games still to play, but it looms on the horizon.

David West, the Pacers’ acknowledged locker room leader and vital power forward, becomes a free agent at the end of the season. Without question, losing the 32-year-old guru would be a blow to a team that appears to have such a promising future. Pacers’ management officials want to keep him, and believe they’ll be able to afford him, but what about West? Would he chase a larger contract elsewhere?

“I’ll address that at the end of the season and focus on finishing this year as best as possible,” he said Saturday after contributing 11 points and 12 rebounds to the Pacers’ 82-71 victory over New York at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. “But I love it here, love this group of guys, this environment, love the core group that we have. This group only has room to get better.”

West is earning $10 million this season in the back end of a two-year deal. The Pacers have $49 million committed in player salaries for next season. The luxury tax threshold this season is just over $70 million, but has not been determined for next year.

Does he expect the franchise to be able to pay him his market value, whatever that turns out to be?

“I don’t know,” he said. “I haven’t given it much thought. Just trying to make sure I focus on finishing this year as well as we can. I’ll just deal with all that when it’s time to deal with it. When it’s on the table, we’ll eat.”

His hope is that he’s served something palatable.

“This group, the mix of young guys that we have, and obviously the character of these guys, what these guys are, it fits me, so …”

Among the immediate concerns for the Indiana Pacers heading into the Eastern Conference finals against Miami is the state of David West's right calf. One of the longer-term worries, though, is West's forthcoming free agency.

The Pacers' veteran leader openly loves his situation in Indiana, which certainly gives Indy justified cause for optimism when it comes to re-signing the 32-year-old this summer. Yet the whispers are already swirling that Chris Paul's Los Angeles Clippers, in particular, are going to make a hard run at West in the offseason.

Indy will certainly have the ability to pay West more to convince its locker-room sage to stay, given that the Clips would presumably have to structure an offer with the $5.15 million midlevel exception available to nontax teams. But you have to figure that the former Hornet -- who rose to All-Star prominence playing alongside CP3 -- is going to want to hear the details of a proposal pitching a reunion with his old point guard ... as long as Paul himself, of course, decides to stay. If Paul re-signs with the Clips as most league insiders continue to expect, L.A. will be seeking to add the final piece or two to cement itself as a contender with some staying power.

Yet Indy's brass must feel some reassurance when it hears West say things like he said in the wake of the New York series when he described the Pacers as "the most together group I've ever been a part of."

MIAMI — David West has been a big challenge all season for the Miami Heat. Look for it continue next season.

The Indiana power forward said after Thursday night’s 90-79 loss to the Heat at AmericanAirlines he wants to re-sign with the Pacers this summer as a free agent.

“Yeah,’’ West said an interview with FOX Sports Florida after his team fell behind 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals. “I love what we’ve been able to accomplish in the lockout season (of 2011-12) and this full season. And I just pretty much love how this group has grown together since I’ve been there.’’

West signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Pacers before last season. He was asked if he’s had any talks yet with Indiana officials about re-signing.

“I don’t think we can officially,’’ said West of the free agency period starting July 1. “But these guys know that I’m with them (for the future).’’

West averaged 22.7 points against the Heat in three regular-season games and has averaged 18.2 points against them in five games in the East finals.

“They have a very good team,’’ Heat center Chris Bosh said of West wanting to re-sign. “He’d fit in there. I was kind of surprised when he went there. It was like, ‘Dang, they got a pretty good steal,' because that was a signing that didn’t get a lot of notice, but it was very huge. They’ve got something, so I’m sure they want to keep it intact.’’

West said he’s concentrating on keeping the Pacers alive in Saturday’s Game 6 in Indiana. But he reiterated Indiana is where he wants to be again next season.

“Yeah,’’ said West, who averaged 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds during the regular season. “This group is a good group. Solid guys in here. I really enjoy being a part of it.’’

Chris Tomasson can be reached at christomasson@hotmail.com or on Twitter @christomasson.